Many public facilities have floor drains that suffer from odor and clogging related problems in which odors emanate from the collection of waste, grease, and other elements being trapped in the floor drain. This problem is especially prevalent in kitchens and public restrooms, both residential and commercial. As facilities are cleaned, dirt, grime, and bacteria collect in the floor drain trap, commonly referred to as a p-trap because of the shape of the piping connected therewith. The water in the p-trap quickly becomes dirty and may emanate a foul odor into the room and adjacent areas.
Currently, the prevailing solution to this problem is the use of sanitizing liquids, deodorants, or degreasers being poured down the drain. These liquids are typically poured down the floor drain on a regular basis. However, the solution is quickly washed down the drain and out of the p-trap with subsequent cleanings. Additionally, the sanitizing liquid does not provide continuous aroma to the room. The buildup of organic material and grease requires pumping of grease out of the trap or other holding container.
Other common solutions include the use of wall-mounted, time-release deodorizer sprayers. These devices systematically release aroma into the room to mask odors at predetermined time intervals. These systems also have the disadvantage of failing to continuously release aroma into the room. While these devices mask foul odors immediately following discharge, the active aromatic agents quickly disperse into the room, failing to effectively mask or eliminate the odors.
Yet other devices attempt to place deodorizing and sanitizing agents inside the drain. These devices typically address either sink drains or floor drains. Most of these devices require special drain modifications to hold the device, increasing expense to the owner and making them impractical for contractor installation. These devices may also have the tendency to aggravate drain problems by catching dirty water around the device.
These devices also suffer from the disadvantage that they do not address any insect or other pest-related issues.
Accordingly, there remains a need for a device that addresses the various disadvantages associated with previous devices.